The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-09-11
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SUFFERERS In STRIPES.
COL. TOWERS TELLS ORE.ABOUT
THE CAMPS.


Bondurant's Determination to Make
the Prisoners Go Without Shoes
Anonymous Letters Not Admitted
as Evidence - Wretched Sanitary
Condition of the Jails Dangerous to
Life.
ATLANTA, GA, Sept. 10--The Governors
Court was held to-day in the Senate Cham
ber, which was densely packed with mem
bers of the Legislature and interested visi-
tors. The examination of the principal
keeper was continued by Mr.. Smith. The
witness found Betsell superintendent of the
Bondurant 81 Joplin camp, giving medi-
cine on one occasion. 1t was not Bondu-
rant. Mr.. Lowe said he would break up
the camp if Bondurant continued to refuse
todischarge an Objectionable guard. Bondu-
rant said on one occasion that the convicts
should have no more shoes until certain
time of the year. The convicts recently
sent to the Bondurant 81 Joplin camp
were assigned to w. B. Lowe Bondurant
a. Joplin had no right to them. The wit
ness looked to w. b. Lowe in the matter.
TO WHOM HE LOOKED.
Mr.. i overs mas always TecOgnlzeu Uuo
SUCCESSORS of W. d. Grant as the ones in
charge of the convicts formerly controlled
by Mr.. Grant. The witness came into office
in July, 1885. Governor McDaniel's orders
for the transfer of the convicts was issued
prior TO that time Mr. Towers identified a
letter, dated Sept. 1, 1887, from A. NJ Luck,
a guard at the camp near Madison. The
letter referred to the death of Convict
William Williams, on Sept. /.
Mr.. Smith asked to be allowed to intro
duce the anonymous letters from convicts
at Camp Bingham, not as evidence, but as
part of the history of the case.
Mr.. Hill said that where the reputation,
and probably the liberties of men, were in
volved, he objected to the introduction OF
inadmissible evidence to make history.
RULED OUT.
The Attorney General examined the
letters, neither of which was signed, and re-
duced his ruling TO writing. He held that
the unverified statements of letters were
not admissible as evidence, or for any other
purpose
Mr.. Towers identified his report on the
Bingham camp, and said that it was true.
The order of Dec. 2s, 1886, issued by Gov.
Gordon, giving permission to transfer GER
tain convicts, but stating that this order
should not be construed as an official recog-
milton of j. w. English as lessee, was put
in evidence by Mr.. Smith.
Judge Hopkins then began the cross-ex-
animation. He read extracts from the
principal keepers report, which dwelt on
the wretched sanitary condition of the jails,
and admitting the fact that the diseases,
which ended in the death of some of the
convicts. probably originated in the con-
finement in the jails.
or THE SAME MIND.
Mr.. Towers stated that he still held these
views. He testified to the prompt action
uf Captain James in discharging Whipping
Boss Smith when his rough treatment Of
convicts was reported. The witness said
there had been eome complaint at Chatta-
hoochee. The conVicts were about to
mutiny before Bingham left. The inhu-
manity at Camp Bingham was the first he
had charged TO Bingham. Bingham boasted
that in the long time he was connected with
the convict system there had never been an
illegitimate child born by convict in any
camp of whioi, he had charge.
A GOOD WORD FoB NO. 2.
The witness had never made a suggestion
to the President of Company No. Q, which
had not been complied with. 1t was true
that Mr.. Lowe discharged Betsell before the
Bondurant camp was broken up. When
the witness ordered shoes and blankets and
Bondur6nt said they should not be furnished,
Mr. Lowe said they should, and they were
furnished. While the matter was being re-
ferred to Col. Lowe the convicts suffered
from cold. The witness said there was now
no trouble in any of Company No. 2's
camps. Mr.. Towers thought the peniten-
tiary system had not been SO severe as to
decrease crime
AN EXECUTIVE ORDER.
Mr.. Cox offered in evidence the executive
order of Jan. 10, 1885, which appears on
page 1856 os the Penitentiary Committees
report. The witness said that Mr.. James
told him that he had returned the check
given 10 him by Col. jackson. Col Towers
stated that with the camps scattered over
the State IL was impossible for him and his
assistants TO inspect them oftener than once
month, and one day at time. AT other
times the State has no representatives at
the camps. At 12 o'clock Col. Cox stated
that he had just heard that his child had
taken the wrong medicine and was danger
ously sick. Gov. Gordon said that under
the circumstances he would adjourn until
10 o'clock Tuesday, Sept 20.